Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Ian Mitchelmore

Russell Martin fumes at 'inexcusable' loss as Blackburn Rovers moment typifies Swansea City's frustrating season

Russell Martin said Swansea City's defeat by Blackburn Rovers was "inexcusable" as they conceded yet another late goal to lose the contest.

The Swans controlled the first-half at Ewood Park and saw Ben Cabango and Jay Fulton both have big chances, although Rovers improved after the restart without causing Andy Fisher many real issues.

However, with the game appearing destined to end level, Daniel Ayala headed home an 89th-minute winner after Swansea failed to clear their lines from a cross into own box to ensure they drifted further away from the Championship's top six.

READ MORE: Swansea City player ratings as defender stands up to the test but forward lacks killer instinct at Blackburn Rovers

"We shouldn't lose the game," Martin said. "We have some really good chances in the first-half, I don't think they had anything of note. But we don't score the first goal again and it keeps the game hanging in the balance.

"The second-half, they changed formation and it helped them a little bit. But we didn't show anywhere near enough intensity with the ball.

"The intensity without the ball today was great, even the way we defended, we limited them to very little. The amount of times we regained the ball, the team pressed really well and were really aggressive.

"But we should make the most of it, some of the opportunities we gave ourselves from that position, I don't know how we don't have more shots or a goal, because I think if it's their team with the three they have, it's probably a different story.

"They score a second phase from a set-piece, it's happened far too much. To lose it is madness really, it's inexcusable, frustrating and really disappointing."

Defeat leaves the Swans seven points adrift of the league's play-off places with just 14 matches left to play this season.

And while Martin admits back-to-back home games against Stoke City and Rotherham United will prove pivotal when it comes to Swansea's bid to keep their season alive, the head coach says moments in the defeat at Blackburn typified their campaign as a whole.

"There's no question the players are giving everything they've got, but we don't manage games well enough," he added.

"The best example, Harry Darling goes down injured, we have the ball, it ends up in a chance for Blackburn. If that's a team full of primed, Championship-ready footballers, the ball gets kicked off the pitch, the physio comes on and the game settles down. But we don't do that.

"Moments like that probably sum up where we are. We have lads giving us absolutely everything that have real signs that it's going to be so exciting for the future, but we still have to deal with the moments like we had to deal with it today.

"We can't get impatient with that. We'll try and dicsuss it and improve and make sure we eradicate it before the end of the season.

"It's a really important moment for us now, as a team and a group. I think it's really important for everyone who is going to be at the (Stoke) game, the supporters, because there was some dissatisfaction at the way we won on Wednesday night (against Blackpool).

"Really, that was down to two moments for Blackpool when they were down to 10 men. They shouldn't have had two moments but they did. But we won the game.

"We need two games with real energy and we need to win to keep this season alive and keep it interesting."

READ NEXT:

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.